Some women are lucky to find husbands who share their idea of what a dream home should be, and even luckier are those who have a mother-in-law who is gifted with interior designing and antique sourcing skills to help them furnish their family’s dream home. Aleli Salazar is one such woman, and she is even luckier than most as she has achieved her modern tropical Filipino-style home.

Aleli’s home is a lovely display of what resourcefulness can do. Parts and pieces of her home are proudly sourced from various places around the country – some precious antiques passed on from generation to generation, the others custom-made by local artisans and skilled craftsmen whom Aleli and her husband commissioned. Their main door, for instance, is a piece from Kusina Salud in San Pablo, which was made even more special with the addition of a carabao yoke from Vigan.

The homeowner’s architect, Cathy Saldaña, gave them the idea of an art deco style as architectural structure. The home’s wrought iron grills on its windows and doors, along with its high ceiling and open layout, give the home its breezy feel.